Hands-free apparatus

ABSTRACT

A hands-free apparatus includes a hands-free apparatus main body having a holding recess part and integrated and separable port parts, and an earphone that is electrically connected with the integrated port part with being inserted into the holding recess part in a first state and is configured to be able to adjust a length of wiring relative to the hands-free apparatus main body in electrical connection with the separable port part in a second state.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of a provisional application No. of61/552,441 filed on Oct. 27, 2011. The disclosure of each of theforegoing applications is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hands-free apparatus, and moreparticularly, to a hands-free apparatus that is connected with anelectronic instrument such as a mobile phone or an MPEG-1 or MPEG-2Audio Layer III (MP3) player by wire and/or wireless so as to enablecommunication or listening to music without directly operating theelectronic instrument by hand.

Description of the Related Art

Hands-free apparatuses are apparatuses that allow functions ofelectronic instruments such as mobile phones or MP3 players to becontrolled by wire or wireless, and have been developed and used toimprove convenience by reducing use of the hand during using theelectronic instruments. It was formerly common to connect the hands-freeapparatus to the electronic instruments such as mobile phones by wire.Recently, with the development of short-distance wireless communicationtechnologies such as Bluetooth that connect the electronic instrumentssuch as mobile phones, computers, printers, facsimile, televisions(TVs), and refrigerators, many wireless hands-free apparatuses have beendeveloped and used. In detail, hands-free apparatuses for short-distancewireless communications such as Bluetooth ear-set/headset providing theconvenience of wireless because the short-distance wirelesscommunication technologies such as Bluetooth are mounted in theelectronic instruments such as mobile phones have been made popular. Inaddition to Bluetooth, various technologies such as Wi-Fi, Zigbee, UltraWideBand (UWB), binary code-division multiple access (CDMA), Wibree,etc. have been successively developed, and thus the hands-freeapparatuses have been further diversified.

The hands-free apparatuses can be divided into a stereo type in whichtwo earphones are inserted into both ears for the purpose of mainlylistening audio such as music or a foreign language, and a mono type inwhich one earphone is inserted into one ear alone for the purpose ofmainly talking on the telephone. Further, the hands-free apparatuses canbe divided into a separable type in which an earphone(s) can beseparated from the hands-free apparatus, and an integrated type in whichan earphone is mounted in the hands-free apparatus.

The separable type hands-free apparatuses are mostly configured to wearor attach a hands-free apparatus main body around the neck or to clothesto connect the earphone(s) to the hands-free apparatus main body by wirewhen used. The separable type hands-free apparatuses using theshort-distance wireless communication actually provide convenience onlyto large appliances such as TV. In view of the fact that the basicobject of the separable type hands-free apparatuses is to apply wirelesstechnology to provide the convenience of wear and use, the separabletype hands-free apparatuses provide the convenience of wear and use inthat they are worn around the neck when in use thanks to slightlylighter weight than the compact portable instruments such as mobilephones or MP players. However, the separable type hands-free apparatusesdo not particularly provide the convenience of wireless, because a cordshould be used to be worn around the neck, and because wiring should beprovided to connect the hands-free apparatus main body and theearphone(s).

In addition to this, among the hands-free apparatuses for the wirelesscommunication technologies such as Bluetooth, the integrated type inwhich a hands-free apparatus main body and an earphone(s) are integratedand the earphone portion is directly inserted and used has been muchused of late. The apparatuses of this type can be reliably fixed to theear, and are worn around the neck using a cord or are separately storedwhen not in use. However, since the integrated type is used in such amanner that the hands-free apparatus itself is directly inserted intothe ear, the integrated type is inconvenient when worn for a long time,and is difficult to fix to the ear in the case of violent activities.

In this way, the existing hands-free apparatuses are configured to beable to use only one of the integrated type that is inserted into theear when in use and the separable type that is worn around the neck andis connected with the earphone by wiring. Thus, these hands-freeapparatuses are restricted by the fact that one hands-free apparatuscannot selectively use several types so as to be suitable forcircumstances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solvethe problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the presentinvention is to provide a hands-free apparatus capable of simultaneouslyrealizing a separable type in which a hands-free apparatus main body andan earphone can be separated from each other and an integrated type inwhich the hands-free apparatus main body and the earphone areintegrated.

Also, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve theproblems occurring in the related art, and an object of the presentinvention is to provide a hands-free apparatus, in which, in a separablestructure in which an earphone is separated from a hands-free apparatusmain body having a communication function, an automatic take-up unit isallowed to automatically draw wiring from or into a main body of theearphone so as to allow a length of the wiring to be adjusted relativeto the hands-free apparatus main body.

Furthermore, the present invention has been made in an effort to solvethe problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the presentinvention is to provide a hands-free apparatus having a function as anaccessory, capable of selectively harmonizing with a human body or adress.

Also, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve theproblems occurring in the related art, and an object of the presentinvention is to provide a hands-free apparatus having improved utility,capable of improving the activity and convenience of a user.

According to the hand-free apparatus of the present invention, aseparable type in which a hands-free apparatus main body and an earphoneare separated from each other and an integrated type in which thehands-free apparatus main body and the earphone are integrated can besimultaneously realized. Thereby, a user can selectively change the useto maximize convenience.

According to the hand-free apparatus of the present invention, a lengthof the earphone can be adjusted as needed, so that the hands-freeapparatus can be worn at various positions. The hands-free apparatus iseasily carried to promote convenience, thereby maximizingmerchantability.

According to the hand-free apparatus of the present invention, a varietyof decorating means are selectively mounted on the hands-free apparatusmain body and the earphone in a replaceable way. Thereby, one hands-freeapparatus provides its original function as well as a function as one ofvarious fashion accessories, so that it can selectively harmonize with ahuman body or a dress.

According to the improved hand-free apparatus of the present invention,a variety of fastening means are allowed to be selectively replaced andworn at one of various positions of a human body or clothes. Thereby,the inconvenience that the hands-free apparatus main body should be wornaround the neck or be separately carried when not in use is removed, sothat the activity and convenience of the user can be improved.

As described above, according to the hand-free apparatus of the presentinvention, a separable type in which a hands-free apparatus main bodyand an earphone are separated from each other and an integrated type inwhich the hands-free apparatus main body and the earphone are integratedcan be simultaneously realized. Thereby, a user can selectively changethe use to maximize convenience.

As described above, according to the hand-free apparatus according ofthe present invention, a length of the earphone can be adjusted asneeded, so that the hands-free apparatus can be worn at variouspositions. The hands-free apparatus is easily carried to promoteconvenience, thereby maximizing merchantability.

As described above, according to the hand-free apparatus whose usabilityis improved, a variety of decorating means are selectively mounted onthe hands-free apparatus main body and the earphone in a replaceableway. Thereby, one hands-free apparatus provides its original function aswell as a function as one of various fashion accessories, so that it canselectively harmonize with a human body or a dress.

As described above, in the hand-free apparatus having improved utilityaccording to the present invention, a variety of fastening means areallowed to be selectively replaced and worn at one of various positionsof a human body or clothes. Thereby, the inconvenience that thehands-free apparatus main body should be worn around the neck or beseparately carried when not in use is removed, so that the activity andconvenience of the user can be improved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in greater detail to a configuration of thepresent invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an internal circuit of a hands-freeapparatus according to the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the hands-free apparatusaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a coupled perspective view showing one embodiment of a statein which the earphone is mounted on the hands-free apparatus main bodyin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a coupled perspective view showing another embodiment of thestate in which the earphone is mounted on the hands-free apparatus mainbody in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows an automatic take-up unit of the hands-free apparatusaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows a rotating unit of the connection plug of the hands-freeapparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state before a front part of thehands-free apparatus according to the present invention and a front partof the cover part of the earphone are coupled in parallel;

FIG. 9 shows one embodiment of the state of use of the hands-freeapparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the state of use of the hands-freeapparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a coupling structure ofa hands-free apparatus according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a coupled state of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 shows a state of use of FIG. 12;

FIGS. 14A and 14B show before and after the hands-free apparatusaccording to a modification of fastening means of the present inventionis used;

FIGS. 15A and 15B show before and after the hands-free apparatusaccording to another modification of fastening means and decoratingmeans of the present invention is used.

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view showing a coupling structure ofa hands-free apparatus according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a rear coupling structure of mainparts (a hands-free apparatus main body and fastening means) of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a coupled state of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 19A and 19B show before and after the hands-free apparatus of FIG.1 is used; and

FIGS. 20A and 20B show before and after a hands-free apparatus accordingto another embodiment of the present invention is used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in greater detail to a configuration of thepresent invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Indrawings, the same components are denoted by the same referencenumerals, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an internal circuit of a hands-freeapparatus according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 areperspective views showing the hands-free apparatus according to thepresent invention.

The hands-free apparatus of the present invention includes a hands-freeapparatus main body 10 in which a communication module 100, anamplifying circuit 101, and a reproducing circuit 102 are mounted, andan earphone 20 that is mounted/demounted on the hands-free apparatusmain body 10 and reproduces an audio signal received through thecommunication module.

As shown in FIG. 1, the communication module 100 receiving an audiosignal transmitted from an instrument such as an MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 AudioLayer III (MP3) player or a mobile phone by wire or wireless, theamplifying circuit 101 amplifying the received audio signal, and thereproducing circuit 102 reproducing the amplified signal into apredetermined electric signal representing a sound wave are mounted inthe hands-free apparatus main body 10. As shown in FIG. 2, a button set11 including a power/communication button, a volume-up button, and avolume-down button is provided in the front of the hands-free apparatusmain body 10. The button set 11 is configured so that each button can beseparated to be inserted into a button port of the hands-free apparatusmain body 10 and has enough size to operate with a finger without asight. This button set 11 may be made of buttons commonly used as inputmeans such as a touch type, a voice recognition module type, or thelike. Here, the buttons are not limited to their type, number, andstructure by the present invention.

Further, the hands-free apparatus main body 10 is provided with a chargeport 12 on one side thereof which is used to charge the hands-freeapparatus in a universal serial bus (USB) interface mode, and a loophole 13 into which a cord is inserted for carrying or storage so as tobe able to be connected to a mobile phone or a bag or to be worn aroundthe neck.

The earphone 20 has a speaker (not shown) mounted therein to amplify andoutput the audio signal received through the communication module 100.The earphone 20 is provided with an inserting part 21 at an end thereofwhich encloses the speaker and protrudes to be inserted into the ear ofa user. When inserted into the ear of the user, the inserting part 21 issoftly deformed so as to allow an inserted state to be firmlymaintained. Thus, no holding means for holding the earphone 20 on theear in a shape similar to an auricle is apparently required. Further, amicrophone 22 receiving voice of the user is provided at a portionnearest a mouth of the user.

Further, the earphone 20 is provided with a connection plug 23, whichincludes a support part 23 a and a rotating part and is connected witheither port parts 17 and 18 of the hands-free apparatus main body 10 inorder to amplify the audio signal of the hands-free apparatus main body10 to output it to the speaker mounted in the earphone 20. Theconnection plug 23 is provided with wiring 24 having a predeterminedlength at an end thereof (see FIG. 5) so as to be able to maintain anadequate distance from the hands-free apparatus main body 10. Here, anautomatic take-up unit (not shown) that pulls the wiring 24 inward amain body of the earphone 20 so as to be automatically wound, and a stopunit (not shown) that controls tensile force caused by the automatictake-up unit are provided.

The hands-free apparatus configured in this way in accordance with thepresent invention can simultaneously realize the integrated type inwhich the hands-free apparatus main body 10 and the earphone 20 areintegrated and the separable type in that the hands-free apparatus mainbody 10 and the earphone 20 are separated from each other, and thusmaximize convenience.

FIG. 4 is a coupled perspective view showing one embodiment of a statein which the earphone is mounted on the hands-free apparatus main bodyin accordance with the present invention. One embodiment according tothe present invention is a structure in which the earphone 20 is held tothe hands-free apparatus main body 10, and is adapted to be able torealize a new integrated structure.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the hands-free apparatus main body 10 isprovided with a holding recess part 14, in which the earphone 20 ismounted, in the rear thereof. The holding recess part 14 has the shapeof a concave recess part which is identical to a shape of the earphone20, and more particularly a shape of a cover part 25 formed on theopposite side of the inserting part 21 of the earphone 20. The holdingrecess part 14 is formed so that the cover part 25 of the earphone 20can be housed therein, and is provided with a fixing part at a positioncorresponding to that of the cover part 25 of the earphone 20 so thatthe cover part 25 of the earphone 20 can be firmly fixed without comingout in an inserted state. In the exemplary embodiment according to thepresent invention, the fixing parts are a first element formed in thehands-free apparatus main body 10 and a second element generating acoupling force in interaction with the first element. In detail, a ridgepart 16 is formed on a defined surface of the holding recess part 14formed in the hands-free apparatus main body 10 in a lengthwisedirection of the defined surface, and a groove part 26 is formed in thecover part 25 of the earphone which is housed in the holding recess part14 so as to correspond to the ridge part 16. Here, the fixing parts arenot limited to this configuration by the present invention. As long asthe holding recess part 14 of the hands-free apparatus main body 10and/or the cover part 25 of the earphone 20 have a structure in whichthey are not easily decoupled after being coupled, any structure may beused. Here, as shown in the accompanying figures, the holding recesspart 14 is configured so that a diameter thereof is longer than a widthbetween opposite sides of the hands-free apparatus main body 10, andthus the opposite sides are open in part. Accordingly, the open parts ofthe opposite sides of the hands-free apparatus main body 10 are formedas openings 15. The openings 15 are used to easily decouple the earphone20, which is inserted and coupled into the holding recess part 14 of thehands-free apparatus main body 10, from the hands-free apparatus mainbody 10. This decoupling is easily done in such a manner that a userpulls one side of the cover part 25 of the earphone 20 which is exposedoutside each opening by hand.

Further, the integrated port part 17 to which the connection plug 23 ofthe earphone 20 can be connected is provided at a position adjacent toone side of the holding recess part 14 in communication with the holdingrecess part 14. Here, an interval between a lower end of the holdingrecess part 14 and an upper end of the integrated port part 17 isadapted to be identical to an interval between an upper end of theconnection plug 23 of the earphone 20 and a lower end of the cover part25 corresponding to this. For this reason, the earphone 20 is preferablyconfigured so that the wiring 24 wound in the main body thereof by theautomatic take-up unit does not easily come out.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, the cover part 25 of the earphone 20 isinserted into the holding recess part 14 formed in the rear of thehands-free apparatus main body 10, and simultaneously the connectionplug 23 of the earphone 20 is also inserted into the integrated portpart 17. Thereby, the earphone 20 is mounted in the hands-free apparatusmain body 10 so as to be able to fulfill the same function as theintegrated structure.

FIG. 5 is a coupled perspective view showing another embodiment of thestate in which the earphone is mounted on the hands-free apparatus mainbody in accordance with the present invention. Another embodimentaccording to the present invention is a structure in which the wiring 24connected to the end of the connection plug 23 of the earphone 20 can bepulled out and used with the earphone 20 connected to the hands-freeapparatus main body 10, and is adapted to be able to realize a newseparable structure.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the hands-free apparatus main body 10 has aseparable port part 18, into which the connection plug 23 of theearphone 20 is inserted, in at least one of the front or rear, an upperor lower surface, and opposite sides thereof. In the exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, the separable port part 18 isformed in the front of the hands-free apparatus main body 10. Here, themain body of the earphone 20 is installed so as to extend outwardly fromthe hands-free apparatus main body 10. This is intended to pull theearphone 20 to unwind the wiring 24 in the main body of the earphone bya desired length in a state in which the hands-free apparatus main body10 is worn at one of various positions of a human body or clothes,thereby allowing the inserting part 21 of the earphone 20 to be insertedinto the ear of a user. Preferably, the earphone 20 does not interferewith the hands-free apparatus main body 10 in a direction in which theearphone 20 is pulled. Thus, the separable port part 18 may be providedat the upper or lower end of the hands-free apparatus main body 10.Here, the separable port part 18 is not limited to its installationposition by the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows an automatic take-up unit of the hands-free apparatusaccording to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, the automatic take-up unit 30 can be provided with afirst elastic member 32, i.e. a spiral elastic spring wound in a spiralshape, in the center of a drum 31. One end of the elastic spring isfixed to a fixing shaft 33 in the center of the drum 31, and the otherend is fixed to an end of the wiring 24. Thus, the first elastic member32 causes the wiring 24 to be wound in the drum 31 located in theearphone 20 by a restoring force that always tends to be restored to itsoriginal state, thereby functioning to hold and store the wiring in themain body of the earphone 20.

Further, the stop unit 40 includes an operational knob 41, which isrotatably fixed to a hinge shaft 42, on one side of the cover part 25 ofthe earphone 20, and more preferably on one side of the cover part 25exposed through one opening 15 of the hands-free apparatus main body 10when the earphone 20 is integrally coupled to the hands-free apparatusmain body 10 of the hands-free apparatus, which will be described below.The operational knob 41 is provided with a protrusion piece 43 on oneside thereof which protrudes to the inside of the main body of theearphone 20 and selectively restricts the wiring 24. Further, a secondelastic member 44, i.e. a torsion spring, causing the protrusion piece43 to maintain an elastic force with respect to the wiring is mounted onthe hinge shaft 42 of the operation knob 41. Thus, when the operationknob 41 of the stop unit 40 exposed outside the earphone 20 is pushed,the protrusion piece 43 restricting the wiring 24 rotates about thehinge shaft 42 against the elastic force of the torsion spring that isthe second elastic member 44, thereby releasing the wiring from therestriction. In contrast, when the operational knob 41 is not pushed,the protrusion piece 43 is restored centered on the hinge shaft 42 bythe restoring force of the torsion spring, thereby restricting thewiring 24 again. That is, a user can pull out the earphone 20 by adesired length in a state in which he/she pushes the operation knob 41of the stop unit 40. When the user does not push the operation knob 41of the stop unit 40, the wiring 24 is stopped in a state in which it isunwound from the automatic take-up unit by the pulled length.

FIG. 7 shows a rotating unit of the connection plug of the hands-freeapparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is aperspective view showing a state before a front part of the hands-freeapparatus according to the present invention and a front part of thecover part of the earphone are coupled in parallel.

When the connection plug 23 of the earphone 20 is inserted into andelectrically connected to the separable port part 18 formed in the frontof the hands-free apparatus main body 10, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, theinserting part 21 of the earphone 20 protrudes toward the front of thehands-free apparatus main body 10, and thus there is a problem that anaesthetic design is reduced. Thus, the cover part 25 of the earphone 20is located so as to be able to be exposed to the front of the hands-freeapparatus main body 10, so that an aesthetic effect of the hands-freeapparatus can be expected. That is, the connection plug 23 of theearphone 20 which is connected to the separable port part 18 formed inthe front of the hands-free apparatus main body 10 can be rotated at anangle of 180° due to its own rotating structure, so that the front ofthe hands-free apparatus main body 10 and the front of the cover part 25of the earphone 20 can be located in parallel. Here, when the connectionplug 23 is rotated and mounted to the angle of 180° after being detachedfrom the main body of the earphone 20, the same mounting structure canbe obtained, but the wiring 24 housed in the earphone 20 may beentangled. Accordingly, in the present invention, instead of excludingthis mounting structure, another embodiment according to the presentinvention will be applied through the following configuration.

To this end, in the exemplary embodiment according to the presentinvention, the connection plug 23 is made up of a support part 23 asupported on the main body of the earphone 20 and a rotating part 23 bthat is pivotable around a rotating shaft 23 c relative to the supportpart 23 a. Thus, the rotating part 23 b of the connection plug 23 can berotated around the rotating shaft 23 c at angle of 180°. Here, theconnection plug 23 may have only the rotating structure as describedabove. Furthermore, the connection plug 23 may give stepwise motion tothe rotating structure. To this end, a rotating unit 50 is installed onthe rotating shaft 23 c so as to allow the rotating part 23 b to begradually rotated while the rotating part 23 b maintains a stopped statewith respect to the support part 23 a at a plurality of positions.

The rotating unit 50 includes a stopper 51, an elastic member 52, and ahinge guide 53. The stopper 51 is formed on a circumferential surface ofthe rotating shaft 23 c installed on an end of the support part 23 a ofthe connection plug 23, thereby maintaining the position of the rotatingpart 23 b in a stopped state. A leaf spring that is the elastic member52 is placed on an inner wall of the stopper 51, and applies an elasticforce to the rotating part 23 b of the connection plug 23. Further, thehinge guide 53 has a polygonal shape in which a plane enclosed with atleast three straight lines at the end of the rotating part 23 b of theconnection plug 23 is included, thereby setting a rotating position tothe stopper 51 and rotating about the rotating shaft 23 c of the supportpart 23 a along with the rotating part 23 b.

In the rotating unit 50 as described above, the rotating part 23 b ofthe connection plug 23 can be rotated left and right at an angle of180°. That is, when the rotating part 23 b is rotated, the hinge guide53 is rotated together. A rotating angle of the rotating part iscontrolled by the elastic member 52 that is fixed to the support part 23a and applies an elastic force to the hinge guide 53. That is, since thehinge guide 53 has the polygonal shape, the elastic member 52 rotatesthe rotating part 23 b at an angle capable of corresponding to one sideof the hinge guide. Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, when the connection plug23 of the earphone 20 is electrically connected to the separable portpart 18, the rotating part 23 b of the connection plug 23 is rotated atan angle of 180° so that the cover part 25 of the earphone 20 can belocated in front of the hands-free apparatus main body 10, the aestheticeffect can be improved due to beautiful appearance, and themerchantability can be further improved.

Accordingly, the present invention is configured so that, as shown inFIG. 9, when the earphone 20 is mounted on the hands-free apparatus mainbody 10, the entire main body of the earphone 20 is integrally mountedso that the connection plug 23 is inserted into the integrated port part17 and only the inserting part 21 can be inserted into the ear of theuser, and thus the hands-free apparatus main body 10 and the earphone 20can be used in an integrated fashion, and so that, as shown in FIG. 10,the connection plug 23 of the earphone 20 is inserted into the separableport part 18, and the inserting part 21 located at a positioncorresponding to the connection plug 23 easily extends via the wiring 24housed in the earphone 20 so as to be able to be inserted into the earof the user, and thus the hands-free apparatus main body 10 and theearphone 20 can be used in a separable fashion.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a coupling structure ofa hands-free apparatus according to one embodiment of the presentinvention, and FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a coupled state ofFIG. 11.

As shown in FIG. 11, the hands-free apparatus according to oneembodiment of the present invention includes a hands-free apparatus mainbody 10, an earphone 20, fastening means 30, and decorating means 40.

Here, a communication module (not shown) receiving an audio signaltransmitted from an electronic instrument such as an MPEG-1 or MPEG-2Audio Layer III (MP3) player or a mobile phone by wire or wireless, anamplifying circuit (not shown) amplifying the received audio signal, anda reproducing circuit (not shown) reproducing the amplified signal intoa predetermined electric signal representing a sound wave are mounted inthe hands-free apparatus main body 10.

Further, a button set 11 including a power/communication button, avolume-up button, and a volume-down button is provided in the front ofthe hands-free apparatus main body 10 so as to be able to be elasticallypushed.

To this end, as shown in FIG. 12, the button set 11 is configured sothat each button is adapted to be separable, is housed in a receptacleof the hands-free apparatus main body 10 on one side thereof, and isinserted into a button port formed in the bottom of the receptacle. Eachbutton has enough size to easily operate with a finger without a sight,and is disposed in the front of the hands-free apparatus main body 10.

Furthermore, an edge of the front of the hands-free apparatus main body10 is formed with an opening 10 a so as to be spatially connected withthe receptacle. Thus, the opening 10 a allows the volume-down button ofthe button set 11 to be separated by raising an extending part 11 a ofthe volume-down button using a finger, and to be replaced along with theother buttons.

Further, the hands-free apparatus main body 10 is provided with a chargeport 12 on one side thereof which is used to charge the hands-freeapparatus in a universal serial bus (USB) interface mode, and mayadditionally include a plurality of loop holes 13 into which a cord isinserted for carrying or storage so as to be able to be connected to amobile phone or a bag or to be worn around the neck.

Also, the earphone 20 is mounted on or demounted from the hands-freeapparatus main body 10, and is configured to amplify and reproduce theaudio signal received from the hands-free apparatus main body 10.

The earphone 20 has a speaker (not shown) mounted therein to amplify andoutput the audio signal received through the communication module. Theearphone 20 is provided with an inserting part 21 on one side thereofwhich encloses the speaker and protrudes to be inserted into the ear ofa user, and a microphone (not shown) receiving voice of the user at aportion thereof which is nearest a mouth of the user.

Further, the earphone 20 further includes a connection plug 23 that isconnected with a port part 14 on a lower side of the front of thehands-free apparatus main body 10 in order to amplify the audio signalof the hands-free apparatus main body 10 to output it to the speakermounted in the earphone 20.

This connection plug 23 is connected with the hands-free apparatus mainbody 10 by extendable wiring 24 so as to be able to maintain a properdistance from the hands-free apparatus main body 10.

Moreover, the earphone 20 is further provided therein with the take-upunit pulling the wiring 20 so as to wind the wiring 20, and the stopunit controlling a tensile force caused by the take-up unit. The wiring24, the take-up unit, and the stop unit are housed in a cover part 25formed on the opposite side of the inserting part 21.

Further, the fastening means 30 is a cord type, and passes through atleast one of the loop holes 13 to be connected with the hands-freeapparatus main body 10.

However, the fastening means 30 is not limited to the cord type. Thus,as shown in FIGS. 14A and 15A, the fastening means 30 may be replaced bya clip type, a pin type, or the like according to the purpose, so thatit can be applied as a variety of fashion accessories such as a tiepin,a brooch, a hair pin, and so on.

Meanwhile, the decorating means 40 replaces the button set 11 of thehands-free apparatus main body 10, and is detachably installed on thecover part 25 of the earphone 20.

As shown in FIG. 12, the decorating means 40 is made up of a buttonaccessory 41 which is housed in the receptacle of the front of thehands-free apparatus main body 10 from which the button set 11 isseparated, and an earphone cover accessory 42 that is mounted on ordemounted from the cover part 25 of the earphone 20. The buttonaccessory 41 includes buttons whose free ends (to be described below)are inserted into the respective button ports formed in the bottom ofthe receptacle.

Here, the button accessory 41 is configured so that thepower/communication button, the volume-up button, and the volume-downbutton are installed on an integrated body of an accessory model so asto be able to be elastically pushed. Of course, the integrated body maybe excluded, and the buttons may be fitted into the respective buttonports.

Alternatively, the button accessory 41 may be deformed in such a waythat it is placed on the button set 11 without separating the button set11 so that the power/communication button, the volume-up button, and thevolume-down button are operated corresponding to those of the buttonset.

Further, the earphone cover accessory 42 has a size and shape capable ofholding the cover part 25 of the earphone 20, and is partly cut outcorresponding to the connection plug 23. The earphone cover accessory 42may be provided with a press-fitting ridge (not shown) on an inner wallthereof so that the cover part 25 of the earphone 20 can be firmly fixedwithout coming out in an inserted state.

The earphone cover accessory 42 may be deformed into various structurescapable of being mounted on or demounted from the earphone 20. Theearphone cover accessory 42 has a floral pattern, a figure of ageometrical pattern, or a letter engraved in intaglio or relief on afront surface thereof. Thus, the earphone 20 can be applied as variousfashion accessories.

According to the aforementioned hands-free apparatus of the presentinvention, as shown in FIGS. 13, 14B and 15B, when in use, thehands-free apparatus main body 10 is worn on one of various regions of ahuman body or a portable object, and the earphone is lengthened by adesired length.

Thus, the present invention has an advantage capable of adequatelyharmonizing the hands-free apparatus with the human body and the dressthrough the decorating means 40.

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view showing a coupling structure ofa hands-free apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentinvention, and FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a rear couplingstructure of main parts (a hands-free apparatus main body and fasteningmeans) of FIG. 16. FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a coupled stateof FIG. 16.

As shown in FIG. 16, the hands-free apparatus according to an embodimentof the present invention includes a hands-free apparatus main body 10,an earphone 20 mounted on or demounted from one side, i.e. a frontsurface, of the hands-free apparatus main body 10 and amplifying andreproducing an audio signal received from the hands-free apparatus mainbody 10, and fastening means 30′ mounted on or demounted from the otherside, i.e. a rear surface, of the hands-free apparatus main body 10.

Here, a communication module receiving an audio signal transmitted froman electronic instrument such as an MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III(MP3) player or a mobile phone by wire or wireless, an amplifyingcircuit amplifying the received audio signal, and a reproducing circuitreproducing the amplified signal into a predetermined electric signalrepresenting a sound wave are mounted in the hands-free apparatus mainbody 10.

Further, a button set 11 including a power/communication button, avolume-up button, and a volume-down button is provided one side, i.e.the front surface, of the hands-free apparatus main body 10 so as to beable to be elastically pushed.

To this end, as shown in FIG. 18, the button set 11 is configured sothat each button is adapted to be separable, is housed in a receptacle(not shown) of the hands-free apparatus main body 10 on one sidethereof, and is inserted into a button port (not shown) formed in thebottom of the receptacle.

Furthermore, an edge of the front surface of the hands-free apparatusmain body 10 is formed with an opening 10 a so as to be spatiallyconnected with the receptacle. Thus, the opening 10 a allows thevolume-down button of the button set 11 to be separated by raising anextending part 11 a of the volume-down button using a finger, and to bereplaced along with the other buttons.

Further, the hands-free apparatus main body 10 is provided with a chargeport 12 on one side thereof which is used to charge the hands-freeapparatus in a universal serial bus (USB) interface mode, and mayadditionally include a plurality of loop holes 13 into which a cord isinserted for carrying or storage so as to be able to be connected to amobile phone or a bag or to be worn around the neck.

Further, the rear surface of the hands-free apparatus main body 10 isprovided with a pair of rail grooves 10 b, which are slidably mounted ordemounted corresponding to rails 32 of the fastening means 30′ to bedescribed below, at the same interval.

However, each rail groove 10 b is formed in a lengthwise direction ofthe hands-free apparatus main body 10, and is formed to be open at oneend thereof and to be closed at the other end thereof.

Meanwhile, the earphone 20 has a speaker (not shown) mounted therein toamplify and output the audio signal received through the communicationmodule. The earphone 20 is provided with an inserting part 21 on oneside thereof which encloses the speaker and protrudes to be insertedinto the ear of a user, and a microphone (not shown) receiving the voiceof a user at a portion thereof which is nearest a mouth of the user.

Further, the earphone 20 further includes a connection plug 23 that isconnected with a port part 14 at a lower portion of one side, i.e. thefront surface, of the hands-free apparatus main body 10 in order toamplify the audio signal of the hands-free apparatus main body 10 tooutput it to the speaker mounted in the earphone 20.

This connection plug 23 is connected with the hands-free apparatus mainbody 10 by extendable wiring 24 so as to be able to maintain a properdistance from the hands-free apparatus main body 10.

Moreover, the earphone 20 is further provided therein with a take-upunit (not shown) pulling the wiring 20 so as to wind the wiring 20, anda stop unit (not shown) controlling a tensile force caused by thetake-up unit. The wiring 24, the take-up unit, and the stop unit arehoused in a cover part 25 formed on the opposite side of the insertingpart 21.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 17, the fastening means 30′ includes asupport plate 31 that is disposed so as to correspond to the other side,the rear surface, of the hands-free apparatus main body 10, the rails 32that protrude from one side of the support plate 31 at the same intervaland are slidably inserted into the pair of rail grooves 10 b formed onthe other side, the rear surface, of the hands-free apparatus main body10, and a support part that is installed on the other side of thesupport plate 31 and mounted on or demounted from one of variouspositions of a human body or a portable object.

Here, lower ends of the rails 32 of the fastening means 30′ ispress-fitted into the pair of rail grooves 10 b in a lengthwisedirection, the fastening means 30′ is firmly mounted on the hands-freeapparatus main body 10 in parallel as shown in FIG. 18.

The rail grooves 10 b and the rails 32 described in this embodiment havecross sections corresponding to each other and an elongate shape.However, the rail grooves 10 b and the rails 32 are not limited to thisstructure. As long as the support plate 31 can be mounted on ordemounted from the other side of the hands-free apparatus main body 10,any coupling structure may be used.

As one example, the rail grooves 10 b may be formed in a cylindricalshape, and the rails 32 may also be formed in a cylindrical shape so asto be press-fitted into the rail grooves.

As another example, the other side, i.e. the rear surface, of thehands-free apparatus main body 10, and one side of the support plate 31which corresponds thereto may be provided with Velcro fiber strips (notshown) so as to be able to be mounted or demounted.

Further, the support part of the fastening means 30 according to thisembodiment illustrates a clip 33, which is supported on a rotationalshaft P installed on the other side of the support plate 31 on one sidethereof and is elastically brought into contact with the other side ofthe support plate 31, by an example.

The clip 33 is restrained by a coil spring (not shown), which encloses acircumferential surface of the rotational shaft P and whose oppositeends are supported on the other side of the support plate 31 and oneside of the clip 33, and thus one end thereof is always maintained in anelastic contact with the other side of the support plate 31.

The clip 33 used in the fastening means 30′ of this embodiment is amember pressing and supporting opposite surfaces of a thing such as anecktie, a pocket, or the like, and may be replaced by a pin type. Inthis case, the clip may directly pass through a target thing to supportthe hands-free apparatus main body 10.

In addition to this, the clip 33 may be replaced by a flexible ring bandcapable of being worn on an arm.

In this way, the fastening means 30′ is replaced by the clip type, thepin type, or the flexible band type according to the purpose, and isapplied as various fashion accessories such as a tiepin, brooch, a hairpin, or the like.

According to the hands-free apparatus as described above, in a state inwhich the hands-free apparatus main body 10 is worn at one of variouspositions of the human body (hair, arm, etc.) or the portable object(clothes, necktie, bag, etc.) in an accessory type (see FIGS. 19A and20A), the cover part 25 of the earphone 20 is pulled by a desiredlength, and the inserting part 21 of the earphone 20 is inserted intothe ear of a user when in use (see FIGS. 19B and 20B).

Thus, a variety of fastening means can be selectively replaced and used.Thereby, the inconvenience that the hands-free apparatus main body 10should be worn around the neck or be separately carried when not in useis removed, so that the activity and convenience of the user can beimproved.

Here, the hands-free apparatus according to the present invention hasbeen described as the mono type in which the speaker of the singleearphone is adapted to be inserted into one ear only. The presentinvention is not limited to the embodiment of the mono type only. Thus,the hands-free apparatus may be applied to the stereo type in which twoearphones are adapted to be inserted into opposite ears.

Furthermore, the foregoing is illustrative of the type in which theearphone is coupled to the hands-free apparatus main body. However, theearphone may be implemented as a type in which it is coupled to anotherportable electronic instrument, for instance a mobile communicationterminal, a music playback device, a moving picture playback device, ora personal computer. In this case, another portable electronicinstrument may has the holding recess part and the integrated andseparable port parts, and the earphone is configured to be selectivelycoupled with the integrated and separable port parts and to be insertedinto the holding recess part in a first state.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has beendescribed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and the spirit of theinvention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1-18. (canceled)
 19. A hands-free apparatus having a function as anaccessory comprising: a hands-free apparatus main body having a buttonset in the front thereof; an earphone connected with the hands-freeapparatus main body and having an inserting part enclosing a speaker onone side thereof and a cover part supporting the inserting part on theother side thereof; and decorating means having a button accessorymounted or demounted corresponding to the button set in the front of thehands-free apparatus main body.
 20. The hands-free apparatus accordingto claim 19, wherein the button accessory is configured so that at leastone of the power/communication button, the volume-up button, and thevolume-down button are installed on an integrated body thereof so as tobe able to be elastically pushed.
 21. The hands-free apparatus accordingto claim 20, wherein the button accessory is housed in a receptacle ofthe front of the hands-free apparatus main body from which the buttonset is separated, and includes buttons whose free ends are inserted intorespective button ports formed in the bottom of the receptacle.
 22. Thehands-free apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the decorating meansfurther includes an earphone cover accessory mounted on or demountedfrom the cover part of the earphone.
 23. The hands-free apparatusaccording to claim 22, wherein the earphone cover accessory isconfigured to be able to house the cover part of the earphone, and has afloral pattern, a figure of a geometrical pattern, or a letter on afront surface thereof.
 24. The hands-free apparatus according to claim19, wherein the hands-free apparatus main body further includes a portpart in the front thereof.
 25. The hands-free apparatus according toclaim 24, wherein the earphone further includes a connection plugmounted on or demounted from the port part of the hands-free apparatusmain body with being supported on the cover part.
 26. The hands-freeapparatus according to claim 25, wherein the earphone further includeswiring extensibly connected with the connection plug.
 27. A hands-freeapparatus having improved utility comprising: a hands-free apparatusmain body receiving an audio signal by wire or wireless; an earphonedisposed on one side of the hands-free apparatus main body andamplifying and reproducing the audio signal received from the hands-freeapparatus main body; and fastening means disposed on the other side ofthe hands-free apparatus main body and provided so as to be able to wearthe hands-free apparatus main body on one of various regions.
 28. Thehands-free apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the hands-freeapparatus main body includes a port part.
 29. The hands-free apparatusaccording to claim 28, wherein the earphone includes an inserting partenclosing a speaker on one side thereof, a connection plug mounted on ordemounted from the port part of the hands-free apparatus main body,wiring extensibly connected with the connection plug, and a cover parton which the connection plug is supported on the other side thereof andwhich houses the wiring.
 30. The hands-free apparatus according to claim29, wherein the other side of the hands-free apparatus main bodyincludes at least one concave rail groove.
 31. The hands-free apparatusaccording to claim 30, wherein the fastening means includes a supportplate disposed so as to correspond to the other side of the hands-freeapparatus main body, at least one rail that protrudes from one side ofthe support plate and is inserted into the rail groove of the hands-freeapparatus main body, and a support part that is installed on the otherside of the support plate and is mounted on or demounted from one ofvarious regions.
 32. The hands-free apparatus according to claim 31,wherein the rail groove of the fastening means is formed in a lengthwisedirection of the hands-free apparatus main body and is formed to be openat one end thereof and to be closed at the other end thereof.
 33. Thehands-free apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the rail of thefastening means protrudes so as to be able to be press-fitted into therail groove, is inserted from the open end of the rail groove, and isseated at the closed end of the rail groove.
 34. The hands-freeapparatus according to claim 31, wherein the support part is a clip thatis elastically supported on the other side of the support plate on oneside thereof and is elastically brought contact with the other side ofthe support plate on the other side thereof.